Dog And Bacon… The Maple Kind?

Population growth, increased traffic, habitat destruction and domestic pets like dogs and cats have had an enormous negative impact on our native animals in the modern world. Australia has the disgraceful title of having the world’s worst extinction rate of mammals since European settlement. Terribly sad news given the uniqueness of our amazing fauna.

Jenna from Daintree Wonder Tours is a volunteer wildlife carer and spends many hours rehabilitating orphaned or sick animals. It is a tough job (stressful, sleep deprivation, dealing with sick wallabies, anxiety from wondering if they’ll survive each night etc) but it is also an immense privilege. To know that an animal has been given a second chance and see it returned back to the wild is extremely rewarding and the driving force behind why carers do what they do.

If you are keen to get involved, there are many organisations around Australia that do wildlife rescue and rehab. You need to have a permit to have wallabies or other native animals in care and joining a registered organisation and doing their courses will give you this. The main thing you always have to remember is that you are doing the job for the animals NOT for yourself. Everything has to come back to the idea that you are rehabilitating them for life back in the wild.

Also, if you are travelling around Australia remember to check the pouches of any marsupials (eg possums, bandicoots, wallabies, kangas, bettongs, quolls, wombats, koalas) you find on the road!!! Call your local group immediately if you find something!

The Healthy Pet is a natural pet food and supply store with locations in Eugene, Oregon and Freeland, Washington. Their goal since opening in 1997 is to provide you and your dog or cat with natural, safe and healthy pet supplies – products that will enhance your pet’s health.

They sell an excellent selection of premium foods, nutritional supplements, natural grooming supplies, books, safe and fun toys, non-toxic flea control products, and lots of other supplies. Dr. Doreen Hock, a local holistic veterinarian and owner of The Healthy Pet, endorses each and every product she sells.

Before Mouse finds a way to the delicious cornfields Cat eats him with dire consequences for the food chain.

A short film commissioned by the Channel 4 MESH scheme.

Story, Design & Direction: Kwok Fung Lam

Producer: Nicola Black

Animation: Dominic Griffiths, Antoine Bourruel

Modelling: Mattias Bjurstrom, Natalia Ortiz Luis

Rigging: Michael Greenwood

Rigging & Additional Modelling: Daniel Cornibert

Lighting & Compositing: Rodi Kaya

Sound Design & Music: Chris Branch, Tom Haines, Pascal Wyse

© Channel 4 Television 2004